Early buzz is building for the upcoming film "I Play Rocky," which dramatizes the true underdog story of the making of the original "Rocky" movie by Sylvester Stallone.
Anthony Ippolito portrays Stallone in the Hollywood struggle for the classic 1976 sports drama and the fight Stallone faced as an unknown, struggling actor to cast himself in the lead role after writing the screenplay for "Rocky."
"I Play Rocky" is set to open in November, in select theaters on Nov. 6 and wide release on Nov. 20.
The movie-making biopic received a huge crowd response from the premiere audience at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 12, a good sign that "I Play Rocky" could be an Oscar contender,
wrote USA TODAY.
The original "Rocky" received 10 nominations at the 1977 Academy Awards and won three for best director for John G. Avildsen, best picture and best editing.
A review on RogerEbert.comdescribed the film as a "one-two punch of Stallone nostalgia" that is an impressive dramedy for the first hour.
Some reviews have been mixed with some critics pointing out the film lacks depth, though could be loved by "Rocky" fans.
The new movie was directed by Peter Farrelly, whose won the Academy Award for best picture for the 2018 movie "Green Book."
The movie also features Matt Dillon as Stallone's dad Frank Stallone Sr. and Stephan James as the late Carl Weathers, who played rival-turned-friend boxer Apollo Creed in the "Rocky" films.
Ippolito previously played another famous Italian American actor when he starred as Al Pacino in "The Offer," the Paramount+ series about the making of "The Godfather."
Sylvester Stallone, Rocky ties to the Borderland
The 50-year-old "Rocky" movie saga has a link to the El Paso region and southern New Mexico.
A tough desert-training sequence in "Creed II" was filmed in 2018 in Deming, New Mexico, in a montage were Rocky helps his protégé boxer Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), son of Apollo Creed, get his mojo back.
Stallone and Jordan were spotted hanging out in Deming, including at the Adobe Deli steakhouse and saloon.
Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 'I Play Rocky' buzz builds for story of making of Stallone classic
